Shop owners shattered by late-night crash

The couple and their two children were sleeping in the house next to their business, the Tompsons Lane Corner Store, when they heard the crash about 11.30pm.

"All we heard was a great bing bang and the alarm went off and we realised that there was a four-wheel-drive in our shop," Mr Anthony said.

A Land Cruiser travelling towards Launceston on George Town Road at Newnham had crossed to the wrong side of the road, hit a parking sign, narrowly missed the public telephone booth and slammed into the store on the corner of Tompsons Lane.

Mr Anthony said the male driver was unconscious when he first saw him, but woke up later and struggled with police as they were trying to get him out of the car.

Acting Inspector Mike Gillies, of Launceston police, said a 28-year-old Newnham man was placed in the police van and taken to the Launceston General Hospital for treatment.

He said the man had not been charged over the crash but police investigations were continuing.

Mr and Mrs Anthony do not know the extent of the damage; they are not allowed into the store because it is no longer structurally sound.

But they know it will be some months before they can reopen.

"It's a blow because we were about to put it on the market," Mr Anderson said.

"We have been here nearly three years and busted our rear ends to bring the shop up to a certain standard, and he has to go and ruin it for us.